Felling attachment for sewing-machines



(No Model.)

J. W. BETZ.

' PBLLING ATTACHMENT on SEWING MACHINES.

N0. 539,336. Patented May 14, 1895.

INVENTOR A TTOHNE YS.

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ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH W. BE TZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FELLING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,336, dated May 14, 1895. T

Application filed February 3, 1894:. Serial No.'49B,975- (No model.)

To an whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. BETZ, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Innproved Felling Attachment for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in a device for felling the seams of a garment to produce a welt finish on the same, and has for its object to provide a novel device ofthe type indicated, which will afford means for convenient adjustment to gage the width of the welt, and to insure an even width for such felled seams, that may be readily felled with the improved attachment on an ordinary sewing machine at any point on a garment, and particularly on the back and sleeve seams of tailor-made coats. 7

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and-letters of'reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views shown. v

Figure l is a perspective View of the complete improvement in place on a. sewing-machine, shown in part. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached plan view of the main portion of the novel felling device. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device on a portion of a sewingmachine'bed-plate, the latter being in section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of parts of the improvement in position on asewing-machine needle-bar, the latter being in section on: the line 5 5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional plan viewof a novel detail of construction on the line 6 6 in Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of two pieces of cloth joined together by a felled seam, the'latter being shown enlarged to indicate the nature of the work produced by the improvement, and Fig. 8 is a partly-sectional view of details on the line 8 8 in Fig. 5.

The felling device proper consists of a sheet metal scrolled piece 10, that is formed on or is secured upon an extended end portion 11 of the base plate 11, the latterbeing of a substantially rectangular shape. The part 10, is

produced by curve-bending the thin material from the arm 11 upwardly and around into a coniform scroll, so as to return its free edge 10 toward the arm, leaving a suitable space between this edge and the inner face of the upwardly and outwardly bent portion. The edge 10, is preferably shaped as represented by full and dotted lines in Fig. 2, having its front corner curved and merged into the ogee curved front edge of the scroll, thereby adapting the part 10 to readily receive a seam flap.

that is to be felled and is forwardly entered within the scroll. I

The smaller end of thescrolled portion 10, is notched in such a form as to produce a sloped edge 10*, that extends from the wall of the scroll which projects upwardly from the .for the free movement of the sewing machine needle 12, that is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

k The base plate 11 of the device, 'is afforded sufficient width between its rear and front edges, to permit a shallow, flat-bottomed recess to be longitudinally formed in its upper surface at the front of the arm 11, a proper thickness being afforded to the base plate to allow sucha depression to be produced, as shown in Fig. 4. v v

A narrow,upwardly-extending flange 11 is formed at the front edge of the base plate 11, by the recessed depression of its upper surface; and at the rear of the recess a longitudinal slot 11 is made in the base plate 11 to receivea' binding screw 13, that may'belfurnished with a washer, and, serves to clamp the entire device on the bed plate D of a sewing machine at a proper point for efficient service. A seam gage plate 14, is provided, consisting of an elongated strip of sheet metal, having parallel side edges. On the rear edge of the part 14 a flange is u pwardlyturned at a slight angle to the flat top of the plate, and

along the front of this flange a gear rack 14, is formed, which flange and rack extend a proper length from one end of the gage plate, nearly to the other end.

The breadth of the gage plate 14:, is so pro portioned that it will loosely fit in the shallow longitudinal recess of the base plate 11, its length permitting one end portion to extend toward and a proper distance beyond the feller scroll 10, when the parts are assembled. To facilitate the connection of the parts men- .tioned in a manner that will allow the gage plate to receive longitudinal adjustment on the base plate, said gage plate is bent downwardly and forwardly, as at 14 thus depressing a portion of the plate that is to reciprocate below the front part of the teller scroll. The end. of e g ge platen whic is neare t to the scroll 10, isturned upwardly, providg a w t sverse fla ge 1 that s m oth and true on the upper surface, and affords a gage for the width of felled seams as will be further explained. The plate 14, is longitudinally slotted at lat between its ends between the toothed rack 14: and flange 149, having its edges in parallel with said rack and with the flange mentioned.

A pinion 15, is produced by the formation of circumferential teeth on the. lower end of;

a spool-shaped head piece 15, that is axially perforated for the looseengagement therewith of a headed stud bolt 15, that has a fi m thread its circumference, is graduated to aflord an exact measure for the longitudinal adjustment of the gage plate 14;, a reduced neck portion of the said head permitting these graduations.

to be readily observed. The enlarged and milled thumb piece at the top of the neck on the piece 15 affords convenient means for the.

manually effected rotary movement of the teeth, and desired adjustment of the, gage.

of thesewing machine, the peculiarly formed presser foot 16, is secured by any suitable means so ast'o project its foot piece forwardly, the usual notch in the front edge of saidpart, being produced for the free reciprocation of the needle 12.

The upper surface of. the presser foot 16, is.

flattened for the reception of; a thin elastic and longitudinally slotted carrier plate 1.7,

that is adjustablysecured;upon the. part 16 by a, screw 17 as represented imFig. 5. The

plate 17-is bent or cut toproduce a transverse; channel 17 at itsend, which projects in the same direction as the depressed portion of the gage plate 1 the parts 17, 14, occupying parallel planes with the plate 11, in a higher position than the gage plate. A supplementary gage bar 18, is loosely secured to the spring carrier plate 17, preferably as shown, the hook formed on the end of the latter by cross channeling it being interlocked with a longitudinal slot formed in the gage bar near its upper edge.

From the rear end of the gage bar 18, a guide rod 19 is projected in parallel with the side edges of the carrier plate 17, said rod having a loose engagement with a perforated lug 20 on the rear side of the presser foot 16, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The relative location of parts is such as will permit the convenient adjustment of the the upwardly-projecting gage flange 14, the front end of the bar and rear end of the flange having a loose contact in service.

When the device is to be used, the gage plate 14; is adjusted by the means that have been described, so as to project the gage flange 1 1 a proper distance beyond the scroll 10, this flange being designed to have contact 1 with the doubled seam flap O at 2 when the joined pieces A, B, of a garment are placed over the felling device on the bed plate D of .i the sewing machine, and beneath the presser foot, to be fed in the usual way from the front 3 to the rear of the machine. When the goods have been placed as stated, the end of the E flap that is to producethe felled or welt seam G, is introduced within the front end of the scroll 10, which will, when the machine is operated, turn the flap edge around into the 1 form shown in Fig. 7, but closer laid than is ithere represented.

The scroll piece 10 having been properlyset I to locate the seam x at a correct distance from the seam fold y, the regular width of the fell or welt C, may be readily gaged by an expert operator placing a finger of the left hand on top of the goods over the gage flange 14:", and slightly pressing upon the material, while the latter is controlled in its passage over the scroll so as to maintain a close contact be tween the side z of the seam and adjacent ledge of the gagefiange 14:. i The gagebar18, that is in effect; a continu- ,ation of the flange 141, will by reason of its Y elastic support at the front, slightly yield and conform tothe vertical reciprocating move .ment of. the presser foot, whileit aids to maintain the goods in proper position for the sufperior execution of the special work that the improvement is designed to effect.

Having thus described my invention, I

1 claim as new and: desire to secure by Letters i Patent-+- 1. In a felling device, the combination with a.longitudinally-slotted base plate, a felling l device projected at one side therefrom, and a i of a gage plate longitudinally movable on the supplementary gage bar 18, in alignment with IIO isecuringscrew engaging the base plate slot,

base plateand having an upturned gage flange at one end that will engage a seam, a rack on a side edge of the gage plate, a clamping head piece having circumferential teeth that mesh with the rack, and an index finger that lies opposite circumferential graduations on the base portion of the head piece, substantially as described. 1

2. In a felling device for sewing machines, the combination with a base plate, and afelling device on one end of the base plate, of a gage plate securable on the base plate along its front edge and having an upturned transverse gage flange at one end, and a vertically yielding gage bar held on the sewing machine presser foot at the rear of the gage plate by a slotted elastic carrier plate, a set screw therefor, and a guide rod on the gage bar at the rear of the presser foot, whereby the gage bar is adapted for lateral adjustment to align it with the gage flange, substantially as described.

3. In a felling device for sewing machines, the combination with a base plate recessed on top, and slotted in parallel with the recess, and a felling device on an arm extending from one end of the base plate, of a longitudinally slotted gage plate seated in the recess of the base plate and having an upturned flange at one end, a gage bar secured on the presser foot of the sewing machine and vertically reciprocating therewith, said bar being adapted for lateral adjustment to align it with the gage flange, a rotatable pinion graduated on its exposed face, a rack on the edge of the gage plate with which said pinion meshes, a securing bolt for the pinion and gage plate, and an index finger on the base plate pointing to the graduations on the pinion, substantially as described. a

I JOSEPH W. BETZ, Witnesses:

WM. P. PATTON, J NO. M. RITTER. 

